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Recently someone asked me how I was doing? Normally, I respond with the usual “okay” even when I’m not. This time I didn’t lie. I proceeded to tell him about the loss of my rabbit, to which he replied “That’s why I don’t have pets. I can’t go through that. It’s too hard“.
I thought about this after he’d gone. It’s true. However, the grieving, painful as it is, is still worth the years of pleasure our pets bring to us, even if it’s all too short. There’s just no measuring the amount of love exchanged. That love makes the pain bearable and I surrender myself to it as I have done many times before. I will continue to do so for as long as I am physically able to care for them.
You see, it’s the people who are the most sensitive, who think they can’t bear the loss of a beloved dog, cat, rabbit, or what have you, that are the best caregivers to our furry counterparts. It’s those we need, to provide a loving caring environment, because those are the people who will extend themselves immeasurably. We will suffer the consequences of loss as we so often do.Because we must.
To those of you who have sworn “never again” and broken your vow, I commend you. To those of you who opt to adopt from a shelter, rather than spend X amount of dollars to flaunt your pure bred, I applaud you. To those of you who rescue the stray and open up your home when it’s already filled to overflowing, I say “thank you”.
To my sensitive friends, believe me, I understand. I’m walking in a cloud of gloom right now but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because as soon as that cloud lifts, my spirit will mend. The cloud is only temporary but the shimmering silver linings are there and they are endless. The love experienced predominates all else. So then, break my heart. Make me your sainted martyr of pets.
Now, where’s that saucer of milk?

One Response to “For The Love Of Pets”

We have no children and therefore our pets are OUR children. My wife and I are prodigious animal lovers of all kind and always will be. The suggestion or notion that one ought not get a pet because of the limited lifespan is absurd ! We all are going to die – death is part of life, and thank goodness for it.

As an aside, I don’t believe in adam and eve and the science suggests that yes – we are all apart of the same ‘star stuff’. In other words if you go way back to to very beginning it is crystal clear that all mammals and even insects have the same descendent – a single celled prokayote organism. This means that not only are we humans truly brother and sister but your wonderful pet is somehow related to you too. The biology is the same – it’s basically all the same stuff, we, man, just think we’re better because we have a bigger brain and have this ability to step back and reflect upon our experience so we can worry ourselves to death. Animals laugh @ us – what? you’re worried that some day you’re going to get old and die ???? As Robert Saposkky stated that’s why zebras don’t get ulcers.